Podcast Summary: The Brian Beers Show

Episode: Steal Shaq’s Franchising Playbook | 288
Date: October 2, 2025
Host: Brian Beers

Overview

In this solo episode, host Brian Beers unpacks Shaquille O'Neal's little-known journey to building a $500 million net worth—largely outside of basketball—by strategically investing in franchise businesses. Brian breaks down Shaq’s step-by-step franchising playbook, sharing key lessons anyone can apply, from starting small to scaling into an empire. He also parallels his own franchising journey and distills actionable insights for aspiring franchise owners.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shaq's Early Business Mindset

• Starting Small and Unconventional
  • Shaq’s first big move wasn’t luxury cars; it was buying coin-operated car washes in Orlando.
  • He liked "the recession resistant nature [and] the simplicity." ([00:37])
  • A famous story: he had over a million quarters ($250K) at home, to his accountant’s and bank’s surprise.

2. First Steps into Franchising

• Annie Ann’s Pretzels: Testing the Waters
  • While still in the NBA, he partnered with experienced operators to buy multiple Annie Ann’s stores in Detroit and Buffalo.
  • Shaq "had no involvement in the day to day... he wanted to learn the business." ([01:07])
  • Key lesson: "The first deal you do doesn’t have to be the biggest... The first goal is just to get in the game." ([01:42])

3. Scaling Up: Five Guys

• Incremental Growth and Reinvestment
  • In 2008, Shaq bought into Five Guys in Atlanta, slowly acquiring more.
  • After retiring in 2011, he "went all in," eventually owning 155 locations (10% of Five Guys’ system by 2016).
  • Sold his portfolio at the market peak for diversification.
  • "He started small, he got his foot in the door, and then he just compounded. He reinvested back into his own business." ([04:13])

4. The Turnaround Artist: Papa John’s

• Reviving a Brand in Crisis
  • In 2019, Papa John’s (reeling from reputation damage) recruited Shaq as brand ambassador, franchisee (9 Atlanta locations), and board member.
  • Helped launch the "Shaqaroni" pizza and oversaw a major brand recovery. Stock price tripled in two years.
  • "Sometimes the best opportunities are in the gutter... you can make a lot of money by reviving these." ([06:59])
  • Important caution: "You gotta be careful, though... sometimes brands are falling knives." ([07:23])

5. Becoming the Franchisor: Big Chicken

• Building His Own Brand
  • In 2018, Shaq founded Big Chicken in Las Vegas, involving himself deeply in branding, menu, and franchise model development.
  • As of recording: 40 locations open, 350 in development.
  • "Shaq didn’t just launch this thing and try and sell a ton of units right out the gate. He spent years developing this thing, perfecting this thing." ([09:09])

6. The Franchising Ladder & Playbook

• Brian’s Path and Franchise Growth Model

  • Outlined the typical franchisee journey: single unit → multi-unit → multi-brand → regional developer, advisor, and potential franchisor/private equity role.
  • "Once you get your foot in the door and you learn all these different elements, there’s huge wealth to be unlocked in it." ([10:32])

• Why It Works: Team Sport Mentality

  • Parallels basketball: franchising’s a "team sport" reliant on building skilled teams, not micromanaging.
  • "Shaq doesn’t personally hire delivery drivers or manage any of his Big Chicken restaurants. He has people that do that. He’s built an awesome team." ([11:11])

7. Action Steps to Copy Shaq’s Strategy

1. Get In the Game: Start with any unit or brand.
2. Learn Inside and Out: "The only way franchising works, the copy and paste mode, is you learn it." ([13:00])
3. Build Your Team: Surround yourself with people who are better/smarter.
4. Double Down Before You Diversify: Master one brand, scale, then branch out.
5. Keep Pushing Yourself: Take calculated risks and aim to scale up.

• Big risks come with big rewards:
  "For Shaq, having a personal brand and launching his own restaurant is a huge deal... What if it was a big failure?... he wasn’t going to let it fail." ([14:09])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Starting Small:
  "The first goal is just to get in the game and then you can start to learn, you can start to see what it takes... Maybe that business can explode or maybe it’s just a stepping stone." — Brian Beers ([01:42])

• On The Power of Compounding:
  "He started small, he got his foot in the door, and then he just compounded. He reinvested back into his own business." ([04:13])

• On Brand Turnarounds:
  "Sometimes the best opportunities are in the gutter…you can make a lot of money by reviving these." ([06:59])

• Cautionary Advice:
  "Sometimes brands are falling knives, and if you catch it...you could lose a lot of money." ([07:23])

• On Empowerment and Delegation:
  "Shaq doesn’t personally hire delivery drivers or manage any of his Big Chicken restaurants. He has people that do that. He’s built an awesome team. But unfortunately, so many business owners get stuck in the I do it phase." ([11:11])

• Challenging Listeners:
  "The people who are able to push themselves the furthest outside of their comfort zones and challenge themselves are the ones who have the greatest success. So I challenge you to do the same." ([15:09])

Key Timestamps

• 00:00–01:07: Shaq’s early business moves (car washes, collecting quarters)
• 01:07–02:20: Annie Ann’s – first steps into franchising
• 02:20–04:36: Growing with Five Guys, compounding success
• 06:44–08:00: Papa John’s turnaround story
• 09:09–10:00: Founding and growing Big Chicken
• 10:32–11:49: The multi-level franchise journey (franchisee to franchisor)
• 11:49–13:34: Importance of team and scaling beyond the “do-it-yourself” mindset
• 13:34–15:09: Brian’s playbook for franchising success — actionable steps for listeners

Takeaways

• Start small and take action: The real learning and opportunity come from doing, not just observing.
• Master and scale before diversifying: Deep familiarity and systems are the foundation for expansion.
• Build a great team: Delegating and leveraging others’ skills distinguishes empire builders from those who stay small.
• Look for value in unloved assets: Turnarounds can be lucrative if you spot non-fundamental problems.
• Aim high but stay humble: Anyone can follow this playbook—no superstars required.

This episode gives both inspiration and a tactical blueprint for leveraging franchising to build substantial wealth, just like Shaq—and Brian himself.